Heart of Darkness, Eyes of Gold
by Wolfcharm
Summary: I chose to be a creature of darkness. I chose to live without the moonlight to guide me. I chose to be a Follower. A look at a past goddess and how she fell from the moonlight. *Retired*
1. Follower

**I made this, because I was interested that there were actually past Goddesses like Catty's mom. Anyway, this is about one of those "past" Goddesses, who became a fallen Goddess. Set up between Book 2-Book 8 and during WW2, I know long time-line, but I need a little Stanton/Serena action here! Enjoy.**

_Italics are of the past or thoughts._

* * *

I marched in front of the kids in line at Planet Bang and was greeted with protests and complaints. I sighed then turned slowly around to face the riffraff. Immediately the guy behind me silenced, stunned by the luminescence of my eyes. I smiled slyly as everyone in the line silenced and let my crew by. I looked around at the dancing teenagers, colored strobe lights, and thumping music. The two guys I brought with me grimaced at the sight. "Not much of a crowd," Burn said.

I chuckled. "Easy, Bradburn, this is your first, you gotta learn to pick off the weakest in the herd," I said.

Burn sighed and started scanning the crowd again. I shook my head and turned to Jovan who was giving this girl a dangerous, flirtatious look. I sighed and left the boys to their work and started to creep through the crowd to the center. I scanned around me for curious male eyes. I caught a few, some looked like they had dates. _Even better,_I thought slyly. I unbuttoned my waist coat slowly and I slowly slid it off my body. The boys' eyes widened at me. Not that I could blame them, nor would anyone else, well maybe the girls. My coat revealed a black tube top with a tight black mini-skirt.

I was hot, I guess or that's what all the guys seemed to think. Tattoos lined my legs, arms, and neck. The boys scanned my body, tracing the marks. One tattoo that was given to me by my master was the silver snake, curved across my right arm. It was the mark of my circle of Followers. We were called "Typhons" after the mythical "Father of all Monsters". We weren't as "big-time" as the Inner Circle, but we weren't your standard Follower either.

I was the leader. My name is Harmona. As much as I hated the name, my master loved it. He said it decieves and lures as I was made to do. I rocked my hips gently then rose my hands, wove my fingers through my hair, and kept raising my arms. I loved the feel of all those eyes watching me, even some of the novices couldn't keep their eyes off me! One boy was bold enough to step up to me. At first he was all confident and smiley. Then his eyes locked with mine. He seemed to shrink away, but he kept walking forward. You see it was the full moon and its brilliance turned my eyes into a luminescent gold. You see, its light showed us for what we truly were. Dark, dangerous things that are to be feared and avoided.

"Hey, you're too pretty to be dancing alone, don't you have a date?" the boy asked.

I smiled and twirled around playfully. "No, not at the moment," I said.

I narrowed my eyes slightly and winked. He raised his eyebrows at me then started to dance as well. He placed his hands on my hips. His hands were warm and sweaty with apprehension. I smiled and rocked and swung my hips a bit harder. He smiled and pulled me in closer. I circled my arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. I pushed into his mind and sunk into every part of his darker side. I pushed and pulled it forward. At first he started to fight then his resistance slowly slipped. "Don't worry, all those petty fears are behind you," I whispered seductively.

His eyes glazed over and I knew he could only see my master's offers. "Turn yourself to the Atrox," I hissed into his ear. "All those fears, humiliations, insecurities, gone forever, just give yourself up to the darkness."

I felt his surrender and I relished the power that flowed through me as he gave his soul up to the Atrox. Suddenly he fainted and I smiled. He would soon wake and be a new Follower. I smiled wickedly and hauled him toward some dark corner and left him there. I saw Bradburn with his first victim and smiled as I saw him play with the girl in his arms. I decided to leave the club and soak in some moonlight.

I sighed and stretched my arms up to the sky. The moon wasn't supposed to give me power and it didn't, but I loved to feel my former Goddess repel me, I loved the sense of knowing this was my choice not her's. I walked until I reached the beach and sat down in the sand. I sighed again and laid back stretching. I started to laugh hysterically as I felt the moon's revulsion at my bravado. I remembered when the moon didn't repel me, but instead empowered and caressed me...


	2. A Look at the Past

**Here is the next chapter. This is part of Harmona's past and how her life completely fell apart.**

* * *

Paris, France 1944:

_I was 16 at the time and the world was ravaged by war. Anywhere I walked, Nazi soldiers patrolled the streets. My friends and I had to hide in alleys to keep from being harrassed in the streets. I gulped as I walked on the sidewalk. I had to get to Marie's house unharmed and unbarred. I sighed as I saw her house finally in view. Our fathers were part of the French Resistance and we loved how they fought for the good and freedom for all. Our mentor and Guide, Maggie, said it was because of that reason among many that we were chosen to be Daughters of the Moon._

_I touched the moon amulet that banged against my chest and kissed it as I walked to her door. "Password?" I heard Marie's voice ask jokingly._

_"Do we seriously have to do this?" I asked a bit annoyed._

_"Ah, a Nazi spy?" Marie said and started to giggle._

_I sighed with resignition and leaned closer to the doorway. "Pandora."_

_Immediately Maire opened the door and threw her arms around me. We kissed each others' cheeks before letting go. "So, do have it?" Marie asked anxiously._

_I held up a slip of paper. "I have it," I said._

_Marie sighed with relief. "Good, now maybe papa can stop being so anxious."_

_We walked over to her father's study and knocked softly. "Daddy, Harmona's here, she has it," Marie said excitedly._

_Immediately the door was thrown open and we were pulled inside. "What's wrong with you two?" he asked and snatched the paper from my hand. "Have you no sense!?"_

_He started to read the paper furiously. I glared and crossed my arms. "A simple 'thank you' would've suficed," I said._

_Marie's father looked up and his face softened. "I'm sorry girls, it's just this is critical information and if it were to fall into the wrong hands," he said and shivered slightly._

_"May we see it, papa?" Marie asked._

_"No my lamb, the less you know the better," he said and kissed the top of Marie's head before leaving his study and out the door._

_That's what my father would tell me. We went to the parlor to wait for our sisters to arrive, then we would get down to serious business. There are 5 of us; Me, Marie, Abrial, Cache, and Mallory. Each gifted with our own power. I had the power of Illusion. Marie had the power of Possession. Abrial had the power of Pheremone manipulation. Cache was gifted with Healing. Mallory had the power Psychometry._

_Abrial was first to show, immediately feeling the tension in the room she worked her magic. She gave a blissful smile to us and we could smell a sweet, soothing smell waft into the room. Instantly our angst was gone, replaced with relaxation. "First one?" she asked._

_We nodded. Abrial's power really fit her, she was pleasant to look at; white blond hair, green eyes, slim, and tall. She could make anyone feel without her power. Marie had a way of getting under your skin, so her power suit her too. Soon the others joined us and we retired to the roof, where we could get a good view of the nighttime sky. It was a full moon that night, we could bathe in it's luminescence that night. Cache was the first to look up. I was always creeped out by how Cache had that piercing. searching gaze when she was actually blind!__ "So what's the topic this time?" Mallory asked looking at her nails._

_I shook my head. "The new Followers that are now really the enemy," Marie inquired._

_I nodded. Marie and I have been staking out the Nazis as of late. Sure we risked questioning and harassment, but if it was for the greater good, then so be it! Abrial bit her lip and gave a worried look. "What are we going to do?" Mal asked._

_Marie shrugged. "What we've always done, stand strong, proud, and ready come what may," I said proudly._

_Cache smiled at me and nodded, the others smiled too. Abrial put her hand in the middle of the circle and looked at the rest of us. Once all our hands were in we recited our own oath. "We swear our allegiance to the light, to goodness, and righteousness. We swear our hearts and souls to Mother Moon, to Selene our will, we shall protect and defend all that is good and great, we are Daughters of the Moon."_

_Suddenly we heard a commotion downstairs. I heard Marie's father yelling and grunting, her mother screaming in horror. We rushed to the edge of the roof and to our horror, saw Marie's mother and father dragged out of their house, thrown to the ground and beaten like dogs! Marie almost cried out to them, but I quickly covered her mouth and dragged her away from the edge of the roof. "Nazi-!" Abrial started to call, but she was cut off by Cache._

_Mallory was too horrified to speak so we didn't worry about her. I swallowed nervously and waited for the car to drive away. Once they were well enough away, I let go of Marie who burst into tears and Cache let go of Abrial who just cussed and beat the ground. "I knew this would happen, I knew they would come!" Marie sobbed._

_I wrapped my arms around her shaking shoulders and tried to calm her down. Cache looked at me worriedly. "Come on we gotta get to my father's house, maybe he can help," I suggested._

_What we found when we got there, wasn't what I wanted to see, but what I expected. The door was ripped off its hinges, bullet holes were on the walls, but signs of blood shed were yet to be found. "Father, mother?!" I called out._

_There was no answer. "Father!?" I tried again._

_"Shhh, Harmona, we're here."_

_I jumped when I saw the trap door open up and my father poke his head out. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Goddess," I said._

_"They're gone?" he asked._

_"Yeah, yeah they're gone," I said._

_"What happened?" he asked when he took in the sight of Marie._

_"Marie's father was apprehended..."_

I shook my head to get rid of the blasted memory! They seemed to be more insistent lately. I growled, sat up, and shook the sand out of my hair. I saw a small campfire not far off, the kids looked like Follower wannabes. I decided to join them. No one asked questions, no one protested. "Spare a weed?" I asked when I saw one of the kids pop a cigarette in his mouth.

I blew out a long puff of smoke. I started my assessment, leaping from one mind to the next. Kids in bad neighborhoods, with bad families and this was their escape. Being evil was easy, being able to decieve, lie, betray, hate, and hurt without remorse. I smiled wickedly as I found one thought that stood out; _I wish I was good_. I chuckled, he would be my next victim.

It was a guy about 16, he had a family that almost cared, his father used to beat him and his little brother, until their mom filed a divorce. I kept smiling and stretched lazily, that certainly caught his attention. My eyes opened and stared at him pleasurably. He smiled wickedly. I saw someone's half empty beer bottle. I picked it up and took a swig. The sharp, sweet tang against my tongue made my molecules buzz excitedly.

When I set it down, he was still staring at me. His intentions were written all over him. I smiled good-humoredly and made a slight hand gesture to come and join me. I stood and he stood and started to follow me. Once we were well enough away, I turned to him and smiled. "What's a nice guy like you want with guys like that?" I asked innocently.

He shrugged. "They're my friends," he said simply.

Which meant: "I have no where else to turn". I rose my eyebrow, but said nothing. "What about you?" he asked, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"What about me?" I asked playfully and slipped away from him.

He stumbled slightly, but smiled and shrugged. "Well, what're you doing out here so late and alone?"

I smiled devilishly. "Maybe I'm just like you or maybe I'm something worse," I said teasingly.

"What's worse than this?" he asked spitefully. "I'd anything to be rid of this!"

I rose my eyebrow at that. "Anything?" I asked slyly. "I might just be able to arrange that."

I slid my arms around my his neck and gently pulled his face to mine. He gave in easily, oh how I relished an easy victim. Immediately I jammed into his mind and sucked him deep into my own. He suddenly started to struggle. He jerked his face away, but I held him steady. "Surrender, it's much easier if you just give in," I said my voice soothing, yet dangerous.

"Come give yourself over to darkness, turn and face the Atrox," I whispered venomously.

Eventually his struggles turned into moans and whimpers of protest, those died away also. I finally let him drop when I felt his total surrender. I soaked up all the fear and pain in his struggles. I smiled as he rose his eyes to show me his phosphorescent glow. He rose slowly and blinked as if he really couldn't believe what he was turned into. Then a slow, smooth grin stretched across his face. I smiled back at him. "Welcome initiate."

* * *


	3. Another Look: Turned to the Darkness

**Sorry this has taken awhile to post, but I've been busy with other things. But here's chapter 3.**

* * *

**A few days later:**

I remember my first time, well, most of it, it was kind of hurried. What I remember most is the thrill of my master's touch, being stripped of my Goddess's light, feeling the love of the Atrox flow through her. I sighed blissfully at those memories, what I wouldn't give just to replay those feelings over and over. I watched the girl approach the flames, our eyes met and I winked as she continued, she had know idea how good it was going to feel.

Then I felt her, I turned to Serena and smiled wickedly. The Lecta (Chosen one), the Atrox chose her especially to step into the fire. As he did me. I couldn't help being jealous, he chose another daughter to join the Followers? I watched her approach the fire and scoffed at how she watched the girl burn. The fire would feel ice cold by now, the brilliant flames seemed to lure her in further. But she turned away. We wouldn't let her go without a fight...

I looked down from the sand cliff and shook my head at the daughter. "You're going after her?" I asked the shadow next to me.

"Yes, I have to," the shadow said taking the form of Stanton.

"Of course you do," I said, rolling my eyes. "Invitus."

Stanton went to join her, I watched lazily behind. Sometime later I felt another presence. "They seem nice together," I said again to the shadows.

"Hmph," Zahi said appearing from them.

"You're not gonna let him take her," I said.

"Never, the Atrox will reward me handsomely if I bring him his Lecta," he said and disappeared.

"Of course he will," I said...

Love is such a strange thing. It could be the thrill ride of your life or the darkest, empty closet you've ever been in. I understand how one falls for it, why one does, what happens when one falls out of it. It's also funny how the desperate ones fall for those three words so easily. I can remember how easily I did, how desperate I was...

* * *

_I hated the cramped space, the smell, the loneliness. Hundreds of other people were stuffed in the train car with me. I huddled close to my father and he hugged me close to him. "It'll be alright sweetheart, I promise," he said._

_He couldn't promise that, no one could promise that! Finally, I heard the train screech to a stop and the doors opened to gloomy skies and cold winds. We all stampeded out, eager to get away from the cramped space. I felt the Nazis eyes on me, how they observed me with approval. I grimaced and kept walking close to my father. How did this happen? We were, well my father was caught as a French Resistance fighter, I tried to help him. Now we're here, with thousands of other fugitives and being subjected to Goddess knows what!! I swallowed hard and followed my father. Soon we were forced to stop and the Nazis looked us over._

_Suddenly one of them tilted my chin up and nodded. He spoke to another and he nodded as well. He offered his hand to me, but I shook my head and backed away. This time he snatched my wrist and started to drag me away. I shriecked and reached back to my father and clung to him. But I was easily dragged away. "O Mater Lunae, Regina Nocis, aduivo me nunc!" I cried._

_I screamed, I kicked, I scratched, I slapped, I punched. But I couldn't get away, I was shoved into a shack and left to cry and scream on my own. The shack was well furbished for it's size. There was a small bed, a basin for washing, a length-wise mirror, a few small shelves. It was short lived, soon another guard came in and my moon amulet glowed fiercely. "Hello Goddess," he said._

_"What is this? Why have you brought me here? Where is my father? What are you going to do to him?!" I asked hurriedly._

_"Easy, sweetheart, can't answer all questions at once," he said teasingly and sat in a chair in the corner. "This is your new home, be grateful that I insisted you not die like the rest of them."_

_"You'll be our... hmm, what's a gentle word for it, plaything for the time being," he continued. "Your father is the rest of the men in the camp and for your sake, hopefully doesn't die with the rest of them."_

_Suddenly it all became very, very, very clear to me. I was the perfect description of the Assariyan stereotype; blonde, blue-eyed, fit. I was going to be used as the Nazis' baby-machine! "The rules are simple, if you wish to keep your life, you'll not resist, you won't ask questions, you won't speak unless spoken to," he said. "Understand?"_

_I nodded roboticly. "Very good," he said and started out the door. "My name is Strephon."_

* * *

_So that was that. I was the Nazis personal whore and I did it without feeling. I laid on the bed and blacked-out for a few minutes before returning to see the guy finished. When Strephon came, it was different. He didn't use me, we sat and we talked. He was usually the last one in, so that we could have more time together. I told him everything, my life, my friends, my ideas, my dreams. I poured my soul into him and he listened and understood me perfectly. He told me his story, how he became a Follower, what it was like. The more I learned about it, the more tempting it seemed to just give it all up._

_"You're the one, you know," Strephon mumbled one evening._

_"What?" I asked._

_"You're the Lecta, the chosen one, he wants you to be one of us," he explained._

_I shook my head and my eyes grew wide. "No, no, I swore I'd never give in to darkness," I said furiously._

_Strephon only scoffed. "Alright, Goddess, whatever you say," he said._

_"My name is Harmona!" I said through gritted teeth._

_"Harmona, then," he said._

_I turned away from him and looked out the only tiny window in this whole thing and started at the waxing cresent moon. Suddenly the Goddess didn't seem so merciful. "But if you just want to get out of here, I've arranged a transfer train for other fugitives, you can take that," he said. "But the thing is, my gang will stop the train and open the doors wide open, head to the fire in the distance."_

* * *

_I did take that train, they were happy to see me go. Nothing was growing in my belly, nothing seemed to react in me. Suddenly the train lurched and threw us against the wall. The doors opened immediately. I heard guns, shouts, screams. I saw the light in the distance. There was no smoke, only the strange light. I raced out of the car, pushing away anyone who got in my way, dodged bullets, put up illusions of other people. Bare feet crunched on snow, I raced into the trees, broke through a group of people and without one last thought... jumped into the flames._

_The flames were ice cold. I shivered at first, then I felt something caress and comfort me. I opened my eyes. I saw a shadow glide over my skin, come up to my ear and whispered things, things I didn't like, that I knew were true. "Your goddess has turned her back on you, see how she watches you turn away from the light. If she cared, she would've saved you from this fate, from your pain."_

_Tears rolled down my cheeks as I listened. "But I care, deeply, about you. If you stay, you'll be loved, adored, powerful for once in your life," the voice continued._

_"Yes," I said._

_"Yes, turn yourself to the Atrox, turn to your new master," the voice cooed._

_I felt the fire burn away what was left of the light and stepped slowly out of the flames._

_Two Followers came and robed me. There was an insignia on the back, of a silver snake rearing its head as if to strike. "Welcome to the Typhons," Strephon stepped out from behind the fire and smiled devilishly._


End file.
